Fushichou no Fluff
by Xesphanite
Summary: A collection of fluffy Tsubamari one-shots across different circumstances and worlds.
1. Cooking

Author's Notes:

Set in anime canon timeline, after GX.

Tsubasa notices Maria's joy in eating delicious food and becomes determined to cook for her. Pre-relationship fluff.

Terms:

Osechi - Traditional Japanese food eaten during New Year. There is a large variety of dishes that are included in it and are usually presented in large bento boxes. (Watch GX Zesshoushinai episode 1 to see the scene of Maria eating one)  
Tamagoyaki - sweet Japanese rolled omelette.

* * *

Tsubasa found herself utterly fascinated when she saw Maria smile so happily after taking a bite from the plate of pasta in front of her. Tsubasa couldn't even pronounce whatever it was that Maria was eating but Maria seemed to really enjoy it with the way she was smiling so. Almost self-consciously, Tsubasa looked down at her traditional Japanese meal of rice, miso soup, natto and grilled mackerel before she looked at the vegetable salad, soup and the curious pasta dish that Maria called Fettuccine Alfredo. Even with the two of them in London, Tsubasa mostly stuck to Japanese cuisine since she didn't really adjust well to the heavier food available here. Ogawa and the other staff had been very accommodating with their requests for food.

In contrast to Tsubasa however, Maria seemed to really enjoy herself with all the different kinds of food as she never failed to see her smile whenever they ate together which was pretty often lately. Perhaps it was just the fact that they've become closer friends now that Maria seemed to smile more often, even if it was just because of good food. Tsubasa remembered that Maria rarely smiled outside of performing or only when she was with Kirika and Shirabe. Tsubasa was maybe a little awed that the dish that Maria was eating now would cause her to smile. Was it really that delicious?

"Tsubasa?" At the sound of her name, Tsubasa was pulled away from her thoughts and she looked up to see Maria's concerned teal eyes. "Is there something wrong? You've been staring at my food for some time now."

"N-no! Nothing's wrong." Tsubasa blurted out, caught off-guard a little. She cleared her throat, feeling the beginnings of a blush warm her face. Maria looked at her with a raised eyebrow. It was pretty obvious she doubted Tsubasa.

"…Do you want a bite?" Maria then asked, indicating her half-finished pasta. "You seem… curious." She continued after a small pause.

"Ah, well… No, not really." Tsubasa felt strangely flustered at the offer and she shook her head fiercely, putting down the chopsticks she was using. But still, Maria looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for a more thorough answer. With Maria looking at her like that, Tsubasa could not help but crack. "I… I was just wondering why you look so happy with your food…" She trailed off with a hint of embarrassment on her face as she looked away from Maria.

"Really?" Maria asked, looking genuinely puzzled. It seemed that Maria was not aware that she was smiling so happily while eating her lunch. Tsubasa nodded in reply as she shyly looked back at Maria, catching a glimpse of Maria's momentary confusion before she smiled gently. Maria really looked much more beautiful when she was smiling like this…

"I guess I'm just quite happy that I'm eating such delicious food." A small laugh escaped Maria's lips at the admission. However her gaze seemed far away, like she was remembering a memory. "You must think it's strange that I'm like this." She then said softly.

"No!" Tsubasa blurted out immediately. "I didn't mean to imply such a thing!" Maria looked surprised at the vehement denial. Indeed, Tsubasa herself was shocked at her outburst and she clamped her mouth shut, a little horrified.

Maria stared at Tsubasa for a moment or two, looking entirely inscrutable before her gentle smile was back again. "I see. Thank you." She said simply. There was an awkward silence for a few moments and Tsubasa fidgeted in her seat, fearing that she had ruined their peaceful lunch with her comments and she looked down at her hardly touched meal.

"Back then, there wasn't much occasion for me to eat good food." Maria opened up on her own as she twirled her fork in her pasta slowly. Tsuabasa did not need to ask Maria to elaborate. She was already quite familiar with Maria's past and she frowned a little at the reminder. "Perhaps I have come to appreciate any opportunity to be able to eat a good meal." Maria chuckled softly to herself. "It made such a difference to my mood." She then took her fork now full of pasta and put it to her mouth delicately and chewing thoughtfully.

"I understand." Tsubasa nodded, feeling that she understood Maria a little more yet also feeling a bit sad at Maria's unspoken words regarding her past. Maria should have more reasons to smile. If one of those reasons is as mundane as being able to eat delicious food, then Maria deserved all the most delectable dishes in the world. A smile suited her much more after all. Seeing Maria's smile usually sent a heavy dose of warmth in Tsubasa's chest, moreso if she was smiling because of something that Tsubasa did.

Suddenly, Tsubasa was struck with an idea. If good food could make Maria smile so, then her smile would perhaps be all the more radiant and directed at Tsubasa if she was the one to give Maria a delicious dish. Just imagining it made Tsubasa smile in excitement and giddiness. She quickly decided that she should do it, even though she doesn't know how to cook. Tsubasa became excited at the prospect of Maria beaming at her and thanking her for her efforts. It was her duty as a good friend to keep Maria smiling after all.

"Maria, is there food that you are fond of?" Tsubasa then asked, looking at Maria with an almost piercing stare of seriousness and eagerness. Maria blinked at her, seemingly surprised for an instant before a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

"I don't think I have a particular favorite." Maria then admitted after taking another bite of her food. "As long as it tastes good and not spicy." She added. Tsubasa frowned a little at that rather broad and vague answer. That would not make it easy for her to decide on what she should cook for Maria.

"…How about Japanese cuisine?" Tsubasa prompted hopefully. Tsubasa might as well cook something that she's at least familiar with to make it a bit easier. "Is there… Something in particular you like to try?"

"Japanese cuisine…" Maria murmured thoughtfully before her eyes lit up. "When it was New Year's day, we were given Osechi." Maria recounted. "It was really enjoyable and delicious."

"O-osechi?" Tsubasa echoed. That was something that Tsubasa didn't expect. Would she be able to make that? Making Osechi was rather complicated…

"Well, perhaps I liked the presentation." Maria chuckled softly. "There's a certain charm with eating a packed lunch with a variety of foods arranged so... cutely." She seemed a little embarrassed when she admitted it.

"So it doesn't have to be Osechi?" Tsubasa asked as she began to understand what Maria was trying to say. It made sense in a way. Maria seemed to be fascinated with the potential cuteness of bentos, not just referring to Osechi.

"It was the prettiest lunch I ever saw but it doesn't have to be. I guess I'd just like to eat a cute bento." Maria said with a laugh. Tsubasa nodded to that in understanding as the gears in her mind started to turn on what she was going to do.

"Oh dear, look at the time." Maria suddenly said as she glanced at her watch. "Tsubasa, you should also eat. Our lunch break is about to be over and we can't have you fainting in rehearsal." Maria then said a little sternly as she indicated Tsubasa's mostly untouched food. Obediently, Tsubasa took her chopsticks again to finish her meal, all the while thinking of her plan.

* * *

Tsubasa looked serious and determined as she rolled up her sleeves and put on her blue apron. Her hair was tied up into a rare high ponytail, making sure that it would not bother her while she was cooking. Standing in the kitchen of her apartment, Tsubasa nodded in satisfaction as she was now ready to take on her task. She surveyed the cooking utensils that have been laid out on the kitchen counter and a quick check inside her refrigerator confirmed that it was fully stocked with fresh ingredients. It seemed that all was ready.

"Are you ready, Tsubasa-san?" The ever cheerful voice of Ogawa asked as he entered the kitchen, also wearing an apron and a pleasant smile.

"Yes, Ogawa-san." Tsubasa nodded, her eyes glinting almost fiercely as she regarded her manager, now her cooking instructor. "Everything is ready and we can start our lessons."

"Alright. Shall we start with the basics?" Ogawa nodded and Tsubasa's intensive cooking lesson finally started. Tsubasa was certainly glad that Ogawa had agreed to teach her, and Tsubasa was very determined to do her best and be able to make that bento for Maria.

Ogawa's first lesson for Tsubasa is the staple tamagoyaki. It was relatively easy to make and is perfect for a beginner to cook. Tsubasa paid rapt attention to Ogawa as he slowly showed her the steps to make the dish; how to crack the eggs open, how to measure the seasonings and even how to beat the eggs with the seasonings.

Tsubasa could not help but quietly admire Ogawa's cooking prowess, even though he was just cooking such a simple thing as eggs. The warrior in Tsubasa was amazed with how quick and efficient Ogawa's movements were. Well, as expected from her ninja manager. He made it look so easy and Tsubasa's confidence rose, as it made her feel that she would be mimic what he is doing.

When Ogawa finished and presented to her the freshly cooked tamagoyaki, it certainly looked very appetizing even though it was such a simple dish at first glance. Tsubasa popped one into her mouth and nodded in satisfaction as the sweet taste and the fluffy texture of the eggs made it quite delectable.

"This is delicious." Tsubasa commented softly. If Tsubasa could make her cooking as delicious as this then no doubt Maria would smile and praise her. Just imagining it had Tsubasa's determination renewed twofold.

"Are you ready to try, Tsubasa-san?" Ogawa asked her.

"Yes. Ogawa-san." Tsubasa looked like she was about to jump into battle with the way her eyes glinted with fiery purpose. Now if only that eagerness translated to Tsubasa being actually able to cook well.

When she tried cracking the eggs open, several pieces of eggshell were left in the yolk and Tsubasa had to manually remove all of the pieces she could find. She didn't notice that she put too much sugar in the egg mixture and it probably ended up being too sweet. What took the cake however was the fact that she burned the eggs, with Ogawa having to use the fire extinguisher as the pan actually caught fire.

That mishap however wasn't at all enough for Tsubasa to be discouraged. In fact, failing only spurred her on forward and she spent the entirety of her day off trying to cook decent tamagoyaki. It was already night time when Tsubasa managed to cook something edible without anything catching fire or the taste being too extreme or bland. The small victory also served to spur Tsubasa on, and she insisted on daily lessons as she had many more dishes to learn if she was to create a bento full of yummy and visually appealing foods.

Tsubasa was faithful on her endeavor to practice cooking every day. Even when she was busy at work and went home late, she would still find time to struggle through cooking with resilience and rock-solid determination.

"I've never seen Tsubasa-san be so driven like this aside from work. This must really be quite important to you." Ogawa had commented after a week of these constant cooking lessons.

Tsubasa did not know why but Ogawa's words had her cheeks flush as the smiling face of Maria appeared in her mind, of Maria praising Tsubasa and smiling widely because the bento that Tsubasa gave her was really delicious. Ogawa only smiled knowingly at the look on Tsubasa's face.

Tsubasa was also trying her best not to have Maria learn of her lessons, lest her surprise for Maria be discovered too soon. Maria had started noticing that Tsubasa seemed a little tired sometimes when they were together since Tsubasa stayed up late a few times just to squeeze in cooking practice to her day. Maria also noticed that Tsubasa's hands bore cuts and burns, hidden underneath band-aids.

"What have you been doing lately? You've been looking tired." Maria asked Tsubasa, concern plain on her face. "And your hands seemed to always be injured lately…" She continued, a hint of disapproval in her voice as she took Tsubasa's hands into her own. The unexpected gesture had Tsubasa feel as though all her blood suddenly rushed to her face. Maria's hands were warm around her own and Tsubasa had the fleeting thought that she really liked it.

"Tsubasa?" Maria then called out to her, puzzled most likely at her silence.

"I was just… Practicing a new attack." Tsubasa blurted out a bold-faced lie as she snapped out of her reverie. She felt a little bad for lying to Maria but it was a necessary evil if Tsubasa wanted to surprise her.

"A new attack?" Maria repeated with furrowed brows and Tsubasa nodded, unable to meet Maria's eyes. "Do you need help? Maybe if I practice with you, you won't get injured?" Maria then tentatively offered.

"No!" Tsubasa immediately turned down the offer, afraid of Maria finding out the truth. Maria let Tsubasa's hands go as if she was burnt at Tsubasa's refusal. Even with Tsubasa being an airhead at times, she was able to notice the hurt that flitted through Maria's face before disappearing. "I… I think I only need just a bit more time to perfect it. You don't need to burden yourself for my sake." Tsubasa hastily added, not wanting to see Maria look so hurt because of her.

"I see…" Maria murmured with a nod. Still, she looked so dejected and Tsubasa frantically thought of a way to cheer Maria up when she realized this was the perfect opportunity for her to ask Maria for the surprise lunch Tsubasa was planning, just so that the dejected look on her face would be gone.

"By the way Maria…" Tsubasa cleared her throat, suddenly feeling quite shy at what she was going to ask. Maria looked at her in faint puzzlement, wordlessly prompting Tsubasa to continue. Tsubasa hesitated then, feeling a lump in her throat and she couldn't form the words she wanted to ask.

"Tsubasa?" Maria asked after a few moments of silence. Tsubasa felt her face flush and she gathered every ounce of courage she had to say her next words.

"Do you want to go out?" Tsubasa blurted out gracelessly.

"…Excuse me?" Maria blinked, confused most likely at what Tsubasa meant.

"I-I mean on our next day off." Tsubasa hastily explained herself, feeling the tips of her ears burn in embarrassment. "Let's go out and have lunch." The words were rushed but Tsubasa was glad that she was finally able to say what she really wanted to.

"Ah, is that all? Of course I'd love to." Maria then gave Tsubasa a half-smile. Tsubasa felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders and she felt strangely giddy.

"Okay." Tsubasa was unable to keep the lopsided grin from her face.

"Where are we going?" Maria inquired.

"It's a surprise. I'll pick you up at your apartment at eleven in the morning." Tsubasa answered, feeling a bit more confident this time around. Maria quirked an eyebrow at her, curiosity plain on her face before she nodded in understanding.

"I'm looking forward to it." Maria said sincerely and Tsubasa felt her heart flip flop in her chest.

* * *

Tsubasa felt keenly nervous as she grabbed her motorcycle helmet from the table. She glanced at her chaotically messy kitchen, offering a silent apology to Ogawa who was going to be cleaning her mess from last night. Ogawa really had done so much for her, as he even went ahead to where she'll take Maria to prepare her surprise. Tsubasa should buy him a nice gift for all he's done for her. Perhaps she'll ask her uncle or her father for advice regarding that.

The beeping of her phone startled Tsubasa from her thoughts and she pulled it out of her pocket, only to find that it was the alarm she had set fifteen minutes before eleven, to remind herself to leave on time. Quickly, Tsubasa left her apartment and mounted her bike. It would take her ten minutes to get to Maria's apartment and she would not want to be late.

Tsubasa sped away from her apartment, enjoying the thrill of riding on her bike. When she arrived at the entrance to Maria's apartment complex, Maria was already waiting for her there. She was dressed casually in jeans and a jacket but Tsubasa could not help but admire how good she looked in them. Maria's usual hairstyle was also absent, instead she had her hair tied in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck.

"Tsubasa!" Maria waved at her, coming closer as Tsubasa took off her helmet to greet her friend.

"Maria." Tsubasa greeted with a small smile. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Although I would appreciate it if you would tell me where we're going." Maria said with a slight pout.

"It _is_ a surprise." Tsubasa reminded her with a soft laugh before presenting Maria with her extra helmet. Maria put it on before carefully mounting behind Tsubasa. Tsubasa was able to feel Maria's warmth even through the layers both of them had on. Maria's arms then encircled Tsubasa's waist in a light squeeze. Tsubasa studiously ignored how nice it felt as she revved up her bike as soon as Maria was settled properly behind her.

Tsubasa heard a startled and muffled 'eep' come from Maria when they sped off. Maria's arms around Tsubasa's waist tightened to an almost uncomfortable level and she can keenly feel Maria's large breasts press firmly against her back. Tsubasa could feel her face grow hot at Maria being much too close for comfort. Having Maria pressed against her so tightly like this was very distracting and it took enormous effort for Tsubasa to keep her attention on the road. Maria was just so soft and so warm and it felt really, really nice.

Maria clung to Tsubasa the whole way to their destination. When they arrived at the parking lot, Maria got off from the bike as fast as she could. Tsubasa couldn't help but chuckle a little in amusement, ignoring the sudden disappointment when Maria's warmth was no longer pressed against her.

"Are you alright?" Tsubasa asked in both concern and amusement, removing her helmet.

"I'm fine." Maria huffed, her cheeks coloring just a little as she too removed her helmet. "I was just… surprised at how fast you drove." Tsubasa just grinned, knowing that Maria had been more than just surprised with how she clung to her. It was almost adorable really.

"Shall we?" Tsubasa asked after getting off her bike.

"This is the park isn't it? Where are we going to eat?" Maria asked curiously, looking at Tsubasa who didn't bring anything with her.

"You'll see." Tsubasa replied with a secretive glint in her eyes, taking Maria's hand to lead her to her surprise. She totally missed the blush that lit up Maria's cheeks at the unexpected gesture.

The park was huge and didn't really have that many people as it was fortunate that their day off was on a weekday. Also, they were blessed with nice weather, the perfect time for a picnic. The two made small talk as they walked further inside the park, Tsubasa not letting go of Maria's hand all throughout.

They then arrived at a more secluded part of the park. A dirt path led to a large tree and waiting underneath the tree was Ogawa and a spread out picnic blanket. Maria looked in surprise at Ogawa and then at Tsubasa.

"Tsubasa-san, Maria-san." Ogawa greeted them with his usual smile. "Since you're both here, I'll take my leave." He then said.

"Thank you Ogawa-san, for all the help you've given me." Tsubasa told him sincerely as she let Maria's hand go and smiled at her manager. Ogawa only smiled back and with a wave, he was gone. Maria looked down at the spread out blanket and what seemed to be a bundle of cloth and a thermos with confusion and wonder.

"What's this?" Maria asked as she turned to Tsubasa again.

"Lunch." Tsubasa replied casually with a smile, enjoying the look on Maria's face. Tsubasa then settled down beside the clothed bundle, gesturing for Maria to sit beside her. After a few seconds Maria had recovered and gave a small chuckle before doing what Tsubasa wanted and sat down beside her.

"You really are full of surprises today." Maria commented and Tsubasa's smiled widened just a little. "I wasn't really expecting this." She then gestured vaguely to the impromptu picnic. Tsubasa chuckled softly, pleased.

"There is more to come, I would think." Tsubasa said as she untied the cloth from the bundle, revealing a large three tier bento box.

"Isn't this… Osechi?" Maria gasped, recognizing the large bento box that Tsubasa had used.

"Osechi is a little bit more difficult to make. I just used the bento box." Tsubasa said, feeling nervous now as she carefully took off the lid and carefully laid the three bento boxes side by side to showcase what's inside. This was the direct result of all of the hard work Tsubasa did over the past few weeks, many times almost burning down her kitchen and all the stomachaches she endured from eating her botched cooking.

"This is..!" Maria gasped as the spread of ten different dishes arranged beautifully in the three bento boxes. One bento box exclusively contained brightly colored side dishes; tamagoyaki, croquettes, sausage wieners shaped like an octopus, steamed dumplings, and small cat shaped onigiri. Toothpicks shaped like katanas and daggers were strategically skewered on some of the food. The next one contained four different dishes of pork, fish, beef and chicken. There was beef teriyaki, grilled salmon, pork cutlet and chicken in small skewers. The last mostly contained a bed of rice and stir-fried vegetables.

Tsubasa felt her nervousness disappear as she saw Maria's slack-jawed expression. She looked so awed as she stared at the food that took Tsubasa almost until dawn to prepare. "This looks amazing!" Maria exclaimed, her eyes shining as the smile that Tsubasa had yearned to see appear on her face. All the hard work and time that Tsubasa spent just to make that bento was all worth it just by seeing that smile.

"Thank you. I worked hard on it." Tsubasa murmured shyly but there was no mistaking that satisfied look on her face.

"You… You're the one who made all of it?" Maria asked with wide eyes. When Tsubasa nodded, Maria's smile became even wider and she looked so awed. In fact, there seemed to be tears in her eyes. "No one's ever done this for me before… You remembered, didn't you?" Maria said almost reverently, referring to their conversation weeks ago regarding the food that Maria wanted to eat.

"You were enjoying your food so much, so I wanted to do this for you." Tsubasa quietly admitted and it seemed as though Maria's smile could not go any wider. Tsubasa had never seen her look so happy before and she was so proud that she was the cause of it.

"Thank you." Maria told her sincerely. Tsubasa was giddy with success as she too smiled and then offered Maria chopsticks. They dug in to their lunch then, with the both of them enjoying each other's company. Tsubasa practically glowed as Maria complimented her food. Tsubasa felt so happy to have Maria praise her so. It seemed like it's been so long since Tsubasa enjoyed herself this much as they shared the food and shared stories.

The food slowly dwindled and time passed, though Tsubasa mostly didn't care as her eyes were only on Maria as she watched her face, fascinated with the play of expressions on it. There was none of Maria's usual reservation as her emotions were clearly on display.

"Today was really fun." Maria said as they lounged about on the blanket, the food all gone. "I feel so stuffed!" Maria laughed before she leaned closer to Tsubasa, letting her head rest on Tsubasa's shoulder. Immediately, Tsubasa felt a flush on her cheeks at Maria's sudden close proximity. Her heartbeat quickened and she had to wonder why she felt that way every time Maria was close.

There was a moment of silence as Tsubasa pondered on what it meant, before she felt Maria shift to look at Tsubasa. "Thank you so much, Tsubasa. No one has ever done something like this for me before…" Maria's voice was soft as she gave her heartfelt thanks to Tsubasa. Maria then smiled once more, before she leaned forward and kissed Tsubasa's cheek. Tsubasa's face immediately erupted into flames, and suddenly, there was a sudden realization so swift that Tsubasa almost gave out a strangled squeak of surprise.

Tsubasa understood now; why she wanted to see Maria smile, why she worked so hard to accomplish her goal, why she felt so exhilarated and so warm every time they were close together. Tsubasa liked her, in a clear more-than-friends way. The realization was as swift as a lightning bolt and it left her just a tad bit disoriented but she recovered quickly. There was no longer confusion and doubt lingering in her mind now that she knew what her heart has known all along. Perhaps it should've embarrassed her but Tsubasa just felt at peace and she smiled radiantly at Maria who ducked her head shyly.

"You're welcome." Tsubasa replied warmly and brushed her fingers briefly on Maria's cheek. Maria blushed at the touch and she looked up at Tsubasa fondly. Tsubasa felt her heart skip a beat at the sight.

"You do know that I'm going to have to pay you back for this, right?" Maria said after another beat of silence. Tsubasa chuckled softly and nodded.

"I would gladly accept that offer." Tsubasa responded gamely and Maria laughed.


	2. Possessive

Based on a dream I had. Set in an AU where Tsubasa is a powerful nine-tailed fox spirit that fell in love with Maria, an ordinary office lady.

Everyone around Maria is unaware of Tsubasa's true nature as she usually appears as a dog to avoid unwanted questions. As competition arrives in the form of Dr. Ver, Tsubasa becomes jealous. Pre-established relationship.

* * *

Tsubasa lazily stretched on the couch before settling back down, curling into herself as she enjoyed the patch of sun that hit her position perfectly. This was certainly the life, at least, until something swatted her on the head.

"Tsubasa! Stop lounging around! I have to clean!" An exasperated Maria exclaimed, the rag that she used to swat Tsubasa resting threateningly in her hand. Tsubasa merely cracked an eye open to look at her annoyed beloved.

"Why do you even clean when it's just going to get dirty?" Tsubasa whined, not at all moving from her spot.

"Because we'll be drowning in your mess if I don't." Maria glared but Tsubasa can feel no malice or even any true annoyance.

"You do remember that I can clean up with just a snap of a finger, Maria?" Tsubasa reminded her lightly, looking just a tad amused.

"I know that." Maria huffed and an unsure, almost shy expression passed through her face. "I can't rely on you for everything." She murmured, glancing away. Fondness for her adorable human surged in Tsubasa's heart and she laughed lightly, finally standing up to come closer to Maria.

"I would never mind it if you would rely on me." Tsubasa said sincerely as she placed both her hands on Maria's cheeks, gently tilting her head so that she can look into Maria's eyes. The soft skin beneath her hands warmed immediately and Maria gave a small nod. Satisfied, Tsubasa's hands traveled downwards to Maria's waist and with a small tug she sat back down on the couch with Maria tumbling into her embrace.

"T-Tsubasa?!" Maria yelped as she lost her balance into Tsubasa's arms.

"Clean later. Cuddle now. It's finally your day off and I want you all to myself." Tsubasa said with all seriousness as she lied down on the couch and pulled Maria on top of her. Maria shook her head in fond exasperation but did not make any movement to get out of Tsubasa's embrace. Tsubasa was pleased when Maria cuddled closer, burying her face near Tsubasa's neck. Tsubasa then pressed a kiss on top of Maria's head, giving a sigh of contentment at Maria's soft warmth.

They stayed that way for quite some time, with Tsubasa in danger of falling asleep as she languidly ran her hand through Maria's long hair over and over again. Maria was pliant against her but Tsubasa can feel that she was not yet asleep but just enjoying their closeness.

However, they weren't able to enjoy their quiet time together when the doorbell to Maria's apartment rang. Tsubasa frowned openly when Maria immediately pushed herself away from her and stood up to open the door. Sitting up, Tsubasa's indigo eyes followed Maria as she went to answer the door. Maria then stopped and turned back to look at Tsubasa, momentarily ignoring the incessant ringing of her doorbell.

"Tsubasa…" Maria said with a touch of pleading. Tsubasa sighed, knowing what Maria asked of her and she stood up to shift into her dog form. Tsubasa just doesn't understand why Maria even needed to keep her a secret. Well, to be fair, Tsubasa was a mythical creature. Actually, most people would categorize her as a demon if they knew her true form but still. Maria could've at least let her stay in human form in the presence of her friends.

"But then they'll ask who you are and where you came from! You can't just tell them you're actually a nine-tailed fox!" Maria had told her almost hysterically. Of course, Tsubasa had to reluctantly obey.

Tsubasa then snorted the memory and followed Maria's trail. She watched as the door was opened, to reveal a man with white hair and glasses. Tsubasa's fur bristled as she smelled his obvious attraction to Maria as he leered at her.

"Dr. Ver." Maria greeted with a stiff smile. "What do I owe this visit?" Tsubasa can clearly tell that Maria wasn't fond of him either and she glared at him, her indigo eyes shining with malice. He had barely been in her presence for a minute and Tsubasa already hated his guts.

"Nastassja sent me over with these documents. She urgently needs a report tomorrow. Did she not inform you?" This so called Dr. Ver replied with a smirk, waving around a thick brown envelope.

"It's my day off." Maria said with a frown as she reached for the envelope.

"Aren't I such a nice coworker to have brought you this?" Ver smiled as he deliberately brushed Maria's hand with his. Tsubasa bared her teeth into a snarl as she growled warningly.

Maria just gave him a brittle smile, consciously blocking Ver from Tsubasa's sight. "Is there anything else?" Maria asked pointedly as Ver made no move to leave.

"You could invite me for tea since I did bring this to you." Ver pointed out with a cocky smile. Tsubasa didn't even need to use any of her powers to know Ver's blatant attempts at spending more time with Maria. It only served to irritate her more when Maria gave a defeated sigh and opened her door wider. Maria was sometimes too nice for her own good. Ver came in at the clear yet reluctant invitation, brushing against Maria's shoulder in what he hoped was a flirty way. Maria thankfully brushed him off and passed by him.

"Play nice." Maria said sternly, her voice low enough that only Tsubasa's sensitive hearing could pick up on. Maria briefly patted Tsubasa on the head before turning back to Ver. Maria was definitely not going to like it if she hurt Ver.

"I'll just put this in my room. If you'll excuse me." Maria said and went to her room.

It was taking all of Tsubasa's self-control not to maul him as he came near, sneering down at Tsubasa as she growled at him.

"Stupid mutt." Ver said in absolute disdain but made no move to touch her. "What is Maria even doing with a mutt like you? When she's mine I'll have to drop you the pound." He talked down to Tsubasa like she was just dirt on his boots. Tsubasa could've let the insult pass but when he had the audacity to claim that Maria was to become his? That had her seeing red and she sought to teach him a lesson.

Tsubasa snarled at him, feeling petty satisfaction as he stepped back. However, that was far from enough as she shifted to her true form. Tsubasa didn't shift to her full size but she knew that she was still terrifying. As a dog, Tsubasa only reached Ver's thigh but as she changed, her head now reached his chest. Her body had grown larger and longer. Her claws scratched the wooden floor and her fangs that were at least a finger's length bared. Her indigo eyes changed to a blood red, her pupils turning to dangerous slits that promised death to any who would gaze into them. Finally, her nine tails unfurled, each burning with an intense blue flame.

Ver had stumbled back and landed on his back at Tsubasa's swift transformation into a monster. He was whimpering pathetically as his eyes were as wide as saucers. Tsubasa could not help but to give a feral grin as she smelled his fear and she was quite certain that he peed his pants. He couldn't even scream as he ingloriously scrambled to his feet to run away. He however didn't run away towards the door. To Tsubasa's slight astonishment and glee, he ran towards the glass windows and threw all of his weight on it. So scared was Ver that he would rather jump out of the window, a window that was fifteen stories up no less, rather than to face Tsubasa

Immediately, Tsubasa realized that Maria was going to kill her if she lets Ver fall down to his death. Not to mention the complications of other humans finding out about it. With a roll of her eyes, Tsubasa teleported Ver back into the room with a lazy flick of her tail. Ver had fainted and was a bloody mess with several cuts and bruises along his body at his recklessly stupid action. Her huge form harmlessly went through the furniture as she sniffed at Ver to make sure he was still alive. She wrinkled her nose at the rancid smell when he wet himself but at least he was still alive.

"What is going on!?" Maria then finally came out of her room, most likely startled at the sound of glass shattering. She stopped dead as she looked at Tsubasa's true form and then at the crumpled and bloody of heap of Ver and then at the gaping hole that were once her glass windows. Tsubasa had the decency to wince as Maria looked at her in disbelief. For a fearsome mythical creature of legend, Tsubasa looked exactly like a deer caught in headlights. Maria looked like she had no idea what to do. If she was going to be mad or panic or what. Tsubasa whined at her, looking pitiable as she drew closer to Maria and nuzzled her cheek with her muzzle in apology. In the end, Maria just sighed and placed a hand on her head.

"If you can please fix this." Maria requested and Tsubasa flicked a tail. Magically, the broken window repaired itself like new while Ver's wounds all disappeared and he was now just lying unconscious on the floor.

"Now, can you please tell me what just happened?" Maria then said sternly. "In human form please." With her own sigh, Tsubasa turned back to her human form.

"I wanted to terrify him." Tsubasa admitted finally as Maria stared at her expectantly. "He was saying how he'll make you his." She hissed disdainfully, seething a little as she glared at the man. Maria was silent for a moment and when Tsubasa looked at her to see if she was mad, there was only that fond exasperation that Maria liked to don around her.

"Oh Tsubasa. I don't even like him. Surely you know that?" Maria asked and Tsubasa reluctantly nodded.

"But he would probably do anything, even if you don't like him." Tsubasa growled protectively. "You don't understand how much he wants you!" Tsubasa felt her control on her emotions slip a little and she bit her lip. "I just… Don't want him near you." She huffed. "I wish you'd just show him that you're already mine."

"It really upsets you, being kept a secret." Maria then said softly after a pause as she placed a hand on Tsubasa's cheek. Tsubasa didn't answer but Maria would know her answer anyway.

"Haven't we established that I am yours just as you are mine?" Maria asked softly as she placed her forehead on top of Tsubasa's. Their noses brushed at the close proximity and Tsubasa can feel Maria's breathing on her lips. The closeness helped Tsubasa relax little by little and she nodded.

"You shouldn't feel jealous, Tsubasa." Maria sighed softly before she kissed Tsubasa tenderly on her lips. "You're the only one I love." Maria said as she pulled away.

"…I know." Tsubasa answered, her arms snaking around Maria's waist to pull her closer and Tsubasa kissed her again. It was a much deeper kiss this time and Maria sighed in contentment against her lips.

Maria was a little breathless when she pulled away but her next words brought joy into Tsubasa's heart. "I'll introduce you to my friends next time, as my girlfriend." Maria then laughed a little. "But they are going to ask how and when we met." Tsubasa understood what Maria said unspoken, they would have to resort to fabricating a story about that. Tsubasa wasn't very fond of lying but it was necessary since ordinary humans would not believe or even understand the truth.

"As long as everyone knows you're mine and you're hands off." Tsubasa murmured as she squeezed Maria's waist possessively. Maria hummed in agreement and placed a final kiss on Tsubasa's lips before she stepped away from her embrace.

"Now, can you do something about him?" Maria requested, gesturing vaguely to Ver. "You can make him forget this ever happened right?"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure." Tsubasa grinned as she snapped her fingers. That had Ver disappear from the room and reappear at the lobby downstairs, dazed and disoriented with no memory of what happened except for the subtle fear that Tsubasa left in him. He should be terrified to go anywhere near here again. "That should be fine." Tsubasa grinned and looked back at Maria with a triumphant smile.

"Good." Maria nodded in approval. "Now, do you want to help me with my reports?" Maria then offered with a smile. Tsubasa nodded wholeheartedly. Anything if it meant that she'll be with Maria. With that, the two of them went into Maria's room hand in hand.


	3. Attraction

AU Set in the modern world.

Tsubasa is a mechanic and Maria needs to have her car fixed. Pre-relationship fluff.

* * *

As soon as Maria stepped out of the house, the brutal heat of summer greeted her along with almost blinding sunlight and she had half the mind to scurry back to the sanctuary of her air conditioned and curtained room. However, she had errands to run and her little sisters would not take kindly to arriving at home only to find that there's no dinner because Maria skipped on getting groceries. Well, Kirika and Shirabe probably wouldn't mind if dinner was instant ramen lying around the house but Serena would surely scold them for such an unhealthy lifestyle. It was just Maria's luck that it was her turn to do the shopping on what the weatherman announced to be potentially the hottest day of the year.

Maria hurried to the garage, grumbling under her breath mutinously about whoever designed the house to not have a door that led to the garage directly. At least then she wouldn't have to go outside and endure the sweltering heat just to get to the car. It was just a minute or so but Maria didn't really take kindly to heat.

Maria breathed a sigh of relief when she entered the garage where their large, red SUV was parked, glad to be back under shade. The car beeped when Maria pressed the unlock button and she quickly threw open the door to the driver seat. She clambered in and started the car. The air conditioning was turned on and the blast of cold air made Maria hum happily. Lastly, a cheery pop song came from the speakers as the radio crackled to life.

Maria took a moment to enjoy the cold air and the music before she buckled in. The car then pulled out of the garage and into the road. The grocery was a fifteen-minute drive away but unfortunately for her, there was a road construction on the way and she ended up getting stuck in traffic.

"Just my luck." She huffed in slight annoyance. She took a mental note to find an alternate route going home. Resigned to her fate, Maria unearthed her phone from her purse to check on a traffic and navigation application for the alternate route. They've only moved to this city for three months now and Maria was not very confident with the streets here as she relied a lot on her phone to do the navigating for her.

As she fiddled with her phone and the traffic moved at a snail's pace, Maria started noticing that the inside of the car was becoming hotter at every passing minute. She frowned as she placed a hand over the air vent at her right. It was now blowing warm air into the car. Her frown deepened when she found that the air conditioning settings were correct and should be blowing cool air. She fiddled with it a little more, but no matter how low she'd set the temperature, nothing really changed. Coupled with the heat outside, it was quickly becoming stifling in the car. Maria groaned at her luck. How nice it was that the air conditioning decided to go haywire right when she needed it most. Today was not a good day.

Maria briefly pondered at what could've caused the air conditioning to become like this. The car wasn't certainly new, as it was about to turn five years old soon. However, she knew that her Mom had it strictly annually checked and maintained. Then again, Maria hadn't the time to do have it checked yet lately. Maria could already imagine Nastassja scolding her for not taking good care of the car that she gave them when they moved into the city. Nastassja had always told her that cars were convenient but required maintenance and care, and that it should never be neglected at the first sign of trouble.

Maria then made her decision to postpone the grocery shopping for a while and get the car to a mechanic. Besides, Maria was already sweating profusely inside the hot car, and there was no way in hell she was going to continue using it any more than necessary. When Maria finally got through the awful traffic ten minutes later, she rolled the windows down as the heat felt like she was suffocating. It was still of course really hot outside but at least with the car moving there was wind whipping at her face.

Then, she noticed that there seemed to be a strange grinding noise coming from the engine of the car, which only solidified her desire to get the car fixed. It might just suddenly break down on her and she certainly wasn't excited by that prospect. Maria sped to a nearby car repair shop that she remembered seeing a few times when she passed by on the way to work. If she remembered correctly, the name of the shop was 'Sway Wings' or something similar.

Maria found the repair shop with minimal difficulty, and the shop name was actually 'Zwei Wing'. She drove into the car entrance, being greeted by a modest repair area that can fit three cars probably. Right now, there was only one other car inside and a motorcycle or two being attended to. She parked beside the other car and quickly hopped off, not being able to stand being in the stifling car any longer.

"Welcome to Zwei Wing." A pleasantly low voice greeted Maria and she turned to address the voice. Maria's thought process completely halted for a moment as a stunning woman in a mechanic suit approached her with a welcoming half-smile. The unknown woman had long blue hair partially tied up in a side-ponytail and the deepest indigo eyes she had ever seen. Her sharp and pale features reminded Maria of an aristocrat, even if she was wearing a blue baggy mechanic suit that hid her body.

Maria stood there for a few moments in shock, her eyes glued to the beautiful face before her. The young woman fidgeted a little under Maria's intense gaze, and Maria almost squealed when a blush dusted her cheeks. She looked too adorable for it to be legal.

"Um… Miss?" The young woman then cleared her throat and shyly met Maria's eyes. Maria noted that she was a little taller than the beautiful mechanic before she realized that she was calling out to Maria.

"Ah, yes?" Maria finally gathered her scattered wits about her and smiled flirtingly at the mechanic

"…Do you have a problem with your car?" The mechanic asked and Maria only remembered just then what she came here for. With an embarrassed flush, Maria cleared her throat to answer the question.

"Actually, yes. The air conditioning of my car seems broken." Maria said. "When I started the car earlier it seemed fine but while driving the air blowing out became hotter even though the temperature says otherwise."

"I see. I'll check it out immediately Miss..?" The mechanic paused, expectantly looking at Maria. It took a second or two before Maria realized that she was asking for her name.

"Maria." Maria blurted out without any hesitation whatsoever. She felt glad that the beautiful mechanic actually asked for her name, even though it's just for business.

"Maria…" The mechanic repeated her name with that all-too pleasant voice of hers. Involuntarily, Maria shivered a little at the sound of her name.

"A-and you are?" Maria forced her tone to be light and casual, pushing away the eagerness she felt in wanting to know her name.

"Please call me Tsubasa." She answered with that charming half-smile of hers. Maria felt the urge to cheer at finally getting to know her name but she immediately stamped on it, not wanting to look like an idiot. She had to play it cool and not make a fool of herself.

"Is it alright if I go inside the car to verify your claim first?" Tsubasa then asked, her tone respectful and utterly professional.

"Of course, go ahead. The keys are still in the ignition." Maria watched as Tsubasa nodded graciously and opened the door to the driver's seat, climbing into the car. Maria inconspicuously watched Tsubasa fiddle with the air conditioning and whatever else she needed to do through the windshield of the car. Strangely enough for Maria, it was riveting to watch her so concentrated on her task.

"What am I doing?" Maria muttered to herself as she realized that she was staring quite intently at a stranger. To be fair though, Tsubasa was one beautiful stranger, even when she was wearing a mechanic suit that was hardly appealing. Maria averted her gaze to stare at the hood of the car instead.

"Was there anything else strange you noticed with the car?" Maria only realized that Tsubasa was done when she was beside her again, wiping sweat off her brow with the back of her gloved hand.

"Oh, Um…" Maria's brain stalled on her for a second, distracted at the bead of sweat that came from Tsubasa's forehead and traveled down a sculpted cheek and chin. When she looked back into Tsubasa's eyes, they were boring straight into hers and she gulped nervously. "There was a bit of a grinding sound coming from the engine, I think." Amazingly, Maria somehow managed to force herself to say those words even while she felt way too distracted.

"Hmm…" Tsubasa's indigo eyes looked away from hers and Maria gave a miniscule sigh. It felt as though it was dangerous to have those eyes looking at her like so. It made butterflies flutter in her stomach and she wasn't entirely fond of the sensation.

Maria kept her eyes trained on Tsubasa as she moved to stand in front of the car. And all of a sudden, Tsubasa's gloved hand came to the zipper of the suit and pulled it down. Maria made a choked noise of surprise at the unexpected movement. Unable to help herself, Maria gaped a little when Tsubasa slowly slipped off the jacket-like part of the suit, revealing a white tank top that clung to her every curve and exposed perfectly toned arms. Maria had to check if she was drooling and she had to mentally kick herself when she felt rather disappointed that Tsubasa only removed the upper part of the suit. The jacket was now wrapped around her waist.

Obviously, Tsubasa took it off because it was way too hot to be wearing a mechanic suit that almost covers the whole body. However, Maria was not expecting that she'll strip it off right in front of her! Tsubasa also seemed oblivious that she just gave Maria a little show and was now bending over the hood to tinker with the engine.

Maria could still feel the heat on her cheeks and she hastily backed away, afraid that she might suddenly jump the hot mechanic. Now, Maria was a few paces away behind Tsubasa. Maria honestly tried to look everywhere except for Tsubasa but it was almost futile as there was like an unspoken command that had her wandering eyes focus back on the mechanic. This time, her eyes wandered down and affixed themselves on Tsubasa's nice ass. Even though she was still wearing the baggy pants, Maria could see how nice Tsubasa's derriere was.

"She's too hot." Maria mumbled to herself in distress, delicately wiping away the sweat that gathered on her brow. Forget the summer heat. Tsubasa on her own had made Maria feel hotter, thirstier and more bothered than the hellish weather, and she wasn't even trying.

"Pardon?" Maria almost jumped when Tsubasa straightened up and looked right at her, a puzzled expression on her face. Maria immediately looked away guiltily, fervently hoping that Tsubasa didn't notice Maria's intensely admiring gaze.

"N-nothing. It's just… a little hot." Maria said with just a hint of a stutter before she smiled as innocently as she could.

"I do apologize for that. We only have fans around the shop and it gets quite hot during days like these." Tsubasa looked genuinely mournful and Maria felt bad that she even brought it up.

"It's not your fault. It's the infernal weather we're having right now. You don't have to apologize" Maria was quick to dissuade Tsubasa from blaming herself. Tsubasa's lips twitched into that smile that Maria liked too much to see and she mentally patted her back at that.

"I think I found out what's wrong." Tsubasa then said, gesturing for Maria to come closer. Presumably, it looked like Tsubasa was going to show her. Maria obeyed, and she could feel her cheeks heat up a little as she came much closer now to Tsubasa.

"The fan belt for the air conditioning compressor is a bit worn out. It's already starting to slip and the compressor doesn't get enough power, thus the temperature not cooling down. It was also the cause for the grinding noise you hear." Tsubasa explained and Maria blinked a little because she actually understood the rather simple explanation.

"Why did it happen?" Maria asked curiously.

"Fan belts usually get worn out due to age," Tsubasa answered patiently. "How long has this car been under your ownership?"

"Ah, it's been in our family for almost five years now."

"It's about time to get a replacement, especially if it's used often." Tsubasa advised before she suddenly let out a quiet giggle, as if she just thought of something amusing.

"Tsubasa?" Maria asked curiously, feeling perhaps a little awed at the softening of Tsubasa's expression when she laughed like that.

"I was just thinking that this car doesn't really suit your image. It was quite interesting to see that you're the one driving it." Tsubasa said, sounding genuinely amused.

"Is that a compliment or are you insulting me?" Maria asked, raising her eyebrows a little. Immediately, Tsubasa turned red, frantically shaking her head.

"No! It wasn't an insult! I just…. I thought it was unusual and perhaps a little cute…. I apologize if I made you angry…." Tsubasa's voice trailed off, looking quite embarrassed and Maria complained internally that it wasn't fair that this woman was both beautiful and adorable.

"I was just kidding. I'm not really angry." Maria assured her with an amused smile. It certainly wasn't the first time she heard someone comment that. "To be honest, I agree with you that this car doesn't really suit me. Not that you're one to talk, Ms. Mechanic." Maria looked pointedly at Tsubasa with a teasing smile.

"Touché." Tsubasa acknowledged with a grin of her own. The light banter made Maria more comfortable in Tsubasa's presence and she started relaxing and talking more.

Maria then placed her hand on top of the hood with a reminiscent smile. "This was given to my sisters and I by our mother when we moved here. Just a little something to make our lives here easier." Now that Maria thought about it, the red SUV didn't really suit Nastassja either. It was apparently a gift from one of Nastassja's many business acquaintances almost four years ago.

It was a complete mystery on why that associate of hers even gave her the car and it was quite expensive since it was a new model at that time. Maria's other siblings had their own theories regarding why it was given to their mom. Serena thought it was a bribe from drug lords, Shirabe thought that Nastassja was part of the mafia, Kirika thought that Nastassja was the business associate's mistress, and Maria thought that they probably were better off not knowing. But really, maybe he just really liked Nastassja and thanked her doing business with him by giving her a car. Rich people are odd like that.

Despite herself, thinking about the outlandish theories by her little sisters made Maria grin and shake her head. "Even though it doesn't really suit any of us in the family, it's still our car that needs to be fixed. I just happened to be the one using it right now."

"I see." Tsubasa nodded, her smile undiminished as she listened to Maria with rapt attention. It certainly pleased Maria to see her so interested in what she had to say. They stood there for a few seconds, smiling at each other rather bashfully before the sound of a slamming car door startled the two of them.

"T-the part is available here so I can start replacing it immediately." Tsubasa coughed, her serious face coming back on but there was still a light blush on her cheeks that was very becoming on her.

"Please do." Maria nodded, schooling her features as well.

"At most, it would take thirty minutes for it to be done so if you want, you could stay and wait." Tsubasa sounded almost bashful when she said that.

"Then I'll wait." Maria found herself saying impulsively. Honestly, she didn't want to leave just yet.

Tsubasa gave her that smile again and there was that fluttering feeling in Maria's stomach. She then excused herself to get the part she needed and Maria watched her go, her eyes suspiciously glued to Tsubasa's back.

Only when Tsubasa disappeared into a storeroom of some sort that Maria curiously looked around. Her attention was almost immediately arrested by a previously unnoticed redhead who seemed to be working on the other car. It was yet another young woman, probably slightly older than Tsubasa.

Maria stared at her a little, acknowledging that she was also quite attractive although not really her type. The woman then caught her gaze, and Maria saw that she had vermilion eyes. Unexpectedly, the woman winked at her and even gave her a thumbs up before going back to her task. Before Maria could even react, there was the sound of footsteps and Tsubasa was already back.

"This shouldn't take long." Tsubasa told her with an assuring smile before beginning her task. Not wanting to disturb the obviously busy woman, Maria was content to watch her work. It wasn't boring in any way as it allowed Maria to unabashedly admire toned muscles underneath smooth skin as Tsubasa went on with her task.

More often than not, Maria had to internally scold herself for being so hung up on Tsubasa's attractiveness. But damn, could anyone really blame her? Maria had never been so attracted to anyone in her entire life and it would be such a waste to not appreciate such a rare beauty like her. Maria was almost disappointed when Tsubasa finished with her task and straightened up.

"It should work fine now." Tsubasa said as she wiped her dirtied glove on her cheek and a black streak was left on the pale skin. Maria had to stifle a giggle, finding the sight strangely endearing as it somehow made Tsubasa look too adorable for words.

"Then I'll take a look if it's working." Maria managed to say with a straight face and Tsubasa nodded her agreement, utterly oblivious to the smudge on her cheek.

Maria climbed into the driver seat and turned on the engine and the air conditioning. The cold air came in full blast, even after a solid five minutes and there was no trace of the grinding sound she heard earlier. Pleased, Maria turned off the engine once more and hopped out.

"It seems to be working fine now. Thank you so much." Maria said gratefully.

"There's no need to thank me. If any more problems arise, please don't hesitate to return." Tsubasa said modestly.

"Actually, I think it's time for the annual check-up for the car soon. We're running a little late this year since we've been so busy with the move." Maria said with just a hint of a sheepish smile. Maria definitely wanted to return here, and that was the perfect excuse.

"Ah, of course. We'd be glad to assist with that whenever you need." Tsubasa replied with a nod, and Maria didn't know if it was a trick of the light but her usually calm eyes seemed to be twinkling eagerly.

"I'll also be glad to take that offer. Maybe some time next week?" Maria asked hopefully.

"Yes, that would be fine." With the promise of being able to see Tsubasa again, Maria felt elated and she was grinning like an idiot as she then followed Tsubasa to a small office-like room where she could pay for the rendered service to her car. There was yet another young woman manning the office, a rather petite one with long white hair tied back in twintails at the nape of her neck and lavender eyes.

"Welcome." She murmured perhaps a little gruffly, smiling stiffly at Maria who returned her greeting with a small nod. She then gave Tsubasa a slip of paper, which was then passed on to Maria. It was a handwritten receipt, with the breakdown and total of what Maria owed the shop.

Maria frowned a little when she saw that they were only charging her for the replaced part and that the labor fee was striked out with a pen.

"Tsubasa, I think there's a mistake." Maria began as she turned to Tsubasa. "The labor fee isn't included."

"Ah, you need not pay for it." Tsubasa clarified.

"What? But you did such a good job, and it was done so fast." Maria argued, feeling that it's only fair for her to pay for Tsubasa's services.

"Maria," Tsubasa called her name for the first time and Maria's protests died in her throat, surprised. "It's alright, truly. Think of it as a welcoming gift. You did mention that you and your family just moved lately."

"But-" Maria tried to protest one more time.

"I insist." Tsubasa said firmly, interrupting the protest before it could even leave Maria's lips and it didn't look like she'd be dissuaded so Maria could only reluctantly accept. Maria was actually quite touched at the sweet gesture but she felt unsatisfied as she handed over her credit card to pay.

After everything was done, Tsubasa escorted Maria back to her car and the time loomed for Maria to leave. She chewed on her bottom lip anxiously, feeling that she must do something to convey her sincere gratitude to the kind mechanic. Almost effortlessly, Maria's brain came up with an idea exactly how to do that and if she could pull it off, she'll see Tsubasa a lot sooner than next week. Serena had always told her she should be more confident and not hesitate in seizing something that she wanted. Now seemed to be the best time for Maria to act on this advice. And so, Maria took a deep breath as Tsubasa stopped.

"I still want to thank you though." Maria stated, trying to keep her voice light even as her fingers clenched her purse tightly since she felt a little nervous at what she was going to propose.

"It's really not necessary-" Tsubasa insisted, turning around to look at her. Maria saw that smudge on her cheek again and she made her decision. She took her handkerchief from her purse and boldly stepped closer to Tsubasa. Tsubasa's eyes were a little wide at the sudden movement and Maria lifted her handkerchief to wipe the smudge on Tsubasa's suddenly red cheek.

"You know, when someone wants to thank you, it's good manners to accept it." Maria said with just a hint of scolding, her eyes shining with mirth at the totally flustered look on Tsubasa's face. "You could at least let me buy you a coffee to thank you." Maria continued, stepping back after finishing with her task. Tsubasa gaped at her for a moment longer, and even though Maria felt a little anxious at Tsubasa's impending reply, a soft giggle escaped her lips at the look on Tsubasa's face. Tsubasa blinked at the sound, her face totally red.

"I…Alright." Tsubasa agreed without much fuss, her voice sounding meek but then she smiled bashfully at Maria. The positive answer made Maria's eyes light up in triumph and she resisted the urge to squeal in delight.

"It's a date then!" Maria exclaimed without much thought. The blush on Tsubasa's face deepened at the announcement, reaching even her ears. It took Maria a moment to realize what she just said and her face heated up to match Tsubasa's. "Ah… I mean-" Maria floundered, panic setting in as she didn't know what to say since that was way too forward and at the same time, she didn't really want to take it back.

However, Maria didn't really need to say anything as Tsubasa actually nodded. "Okay." She murmured. Maria was the one stunned this time before she smiled so widely her cheeks were already starting to hurt. She was practically vibrating in excitement when she exchanged numbers with Tsubasa and decided on the time and venue of their date.

"I'll see you then." Maria still couldn't believe her luck, her giddy smile undiminished as she cradled her phone in her hands like it was the most precious treasure.

"Yes. I'll see you soon." Tsubasa murmured, her eyes gentle and fond as she looked at Maria. She waved as Maria got into the car and stayed that way until Maria left. As soon as Maria was back into the road, she hummed cheerfully as she called Serena on her phone. She was not going to believe what just happened and Maria needed to tell someone of her good fortune or she'll explode from too much excitement. She takes it back, today was a good day.

* * *

"Look at these two. They only have eyes for each other every time they're in the same room." Kanade observed from her spot, grinning in amusement as she watched Tsubasa and the hot pink-haired lady converse. She whistled lowly when the older woman stepped closer to Tsubasa with the excuse of wiping away the smudge on her cheek.

"They should do that at home." Chris scowled from beside Kanade, her face heating up a little in embarrassment.

"But it's adorable." Kanade chuckled. "Besides, doing it at home is too soon since they just met…" She then wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Shut up, I didn't mean it that way." Chris' face burned crimson at Kanade's implied statement and she socked Kanade on the shoulder.

"Well, at least Tsubasa hit the jackpot, the woman's gorgeous and seems to be as smitten with Tsubasa as Tsubasa is smitten with her." Kanade merely shrugged off Chris' hit, continuing her observations of the two. "You think she has a sister?" She then grinned rather lecherously.

"How should I know? Why don't you ask her?" Chris grumbled and crossed her arms, still watching the two with a mixed expression of annoyance, curiosity and embarrassment that was typically her.

"Yeah, maybe I'll wait a little before I ask." Kanade's grin widened as she saw them pull out their phones and most likely exchange numbers. "I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing more of her soon."


	4. Happy Birthday Maria!

Happy Birthday to my favorite Octocat!

This is set in the same universe as my other fic "Operation: Love Love Idol Connection DESS!". This is sort of a sequel as it happens after that fic but you don't really need to read it to enjoy this one.

* * *

When Maria woke up on the seventh of August, it seemed to be a normal day. However, there was one thing odd, Tsubasa was not in her arms as she awoke.

"Tsubasa?" She called out groggily. Their shared room was silent, and there wasn't even the sound of the shower running, or the sound of someone pattering about outside. Finally being pulled into wakefulness, Maria sat up and rubbed her eyes, wondering where Tsubasa had gone. Finally, she noticed on the nightstand on her left a slip of white paper with Tsubasa's familiar handwriting.

Maria,

Something came up at home and Father asked me to take care of some business for him today. I will see you at dinner. I love you.

Tsubasa

Maria couldn't help but smile a little as she traced the words 'I love you'. It didn't last long though, fading away as she realized she would not be seeing Tsubasa the whole day. Perhaps it was a little odd since Tsubasa mentioned her father when he was in Japan and they were in London right now. However, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the Kazanari Clan probably had their own business ventures here. Perhaps Tsubasa's father was supposed to come here for business, but was not able to for one reason or another. As the next clan head, Tsubasa would be the best person to deal with it and so, Maria accepted it. She would just have to go through the day without her girlfriend. She then texted Tsubasa that she got her note, and that she loved her too and looked forward to seeing her again later tonight.

So Maria got ready for the day, and when she emerged from the room Ogawa was already there, a breakfast of waffles and a cup of coffee on the table beside him.

"Good morning, Maria-san." Ogawa greeted her with a polite smile.

"Good morning, Ogawa-san." Maria greeted their manager in turn before sitting down at the table and relishing the smell of coffee.

"Have you seen Tsubasa-san's note for you?" Ogawa asked as she started to eat.

"Yes, she has some business to take care of today." Maria nodded, looking up at Ogawa. "So what would be our agenda for today?"

"Since Tsubasa-san is not going to be able to join us today, I've decided to cancel everything else."

"You mean, today's a day off?" Maria paused from eating, looking a little wide-eyed. That was certainly sudden. They've been fairly busy lately with promoting their newest single and a day off was certainly not unwelcome and maybe a little strange.

"Yes, it would be good to take breaks every once in awhile don't you think?" Ogawa said, his smile undiminished.

"Of course, but what should I do…" Maria trailed off thoughtfully. A day off doesn't come all often in her line of work and she felt that it would be a waste if she just stayed in the apartment the whole day.

"Actually, Tsubasa-san asked me to bring you to certain establishments in apology for leaving so suddenly." Ogawa said brightly, taking his tablet and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You have an appointment at the spa in thirty minutes. After two hours, you have lunch and after that you have an appointment with a hair stylist. Next, you're to have your nails done and after you will meet Tsubasa for dinner." Ogawa recited her itinerary for the day.

Maria blinked as her day was already decided for her, a day apparently full of relaxation and pampering. She couldn't remember the last time that she actually took the time to just pamper herself and she actually felt a bit excited at the prospect. It was certainly very thoughtful of Tsubasa to do such a thing for her. It made her smile again and she texted Tsubasa her thanks.

"Shall we go then?" Ogawa asked as Maria polished off her breakfast.

"Let's." Maria nodded and stood up.

* * *

Maria found herself humming happily as she left the nail salon. The pampering she received the whole day had done wonders to her mood and general well-being. She was practically glowing as she walked to the car where Ogawa was holding out the door for her. The only bad thing about this whole day was that Tsubasa was not with her, and she found herself missing her almost the whole time. However, now that she was about to meet her for dinner, Maria felt very excited.

Ogawa drove her to a pretty well-known five star hotel, saying that this was where Tsubasa was going to meet her for dinner.

"Here?" Maria asked skeptically, feeling self-conscious about her casual dress.

"Certainly." Ogawa confirmed with a nod as he brought the car to the entrance. Of course, the hotel had valet service and Ogawa opened the door to let Maria out. Maria hesitated for a few more seconds before getting out of the car. Ogawa escorted her to the bank of elevators, and pressed the button for the 21st floor. Maria was puzzled as that seemed to be a floor for rooms.

When the elevator dinged to a stop on the aforementioned floor, Maria saw that she was right and Ogawa led her in front of a door.

"This is..?" Maria couldn't help but ask, curiosity now burning within her.

"You would need to dress up for dinner of course." Ogawa told her smoothly as he slid a card in the electronic lock and opened the door for her. "I will wait for you here." He said as he encouraged Maria to enter, closing the door behind her.

Maria cautiously entered the large room, easily being able to tell that it was a suite. Maria gasped a little when she saw a beautiful white dress laid out on the queen-sized bed. There was also a vase of roses and orchids on the table nearby. A white card laid beside it, and when Maria opened it, there was a short message in Tsubasa's distinctive script. 'For you.' It said. Maria inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers, impressed and touched at Tsubasa's thoughtfulness.

She then fingered the soft material, marveling at the elegant simplicity of the dress before she remembered what Ogawa said. She had to wear this for dinner. Not that Maria was complaining, but it seemed maybe a little too much for a dinner. However, there wasn't much time to contemplate as Tsubasa would be waiting for her. She quickly put on the dress, and it fitted her perfectly, clinging to her curves. There were also shoes that went with the outfit, a pair of white heels that she wore as well. Finally, she took some flowers from the bouquet to adorn her hair with, and when Maria looked into the mirror, she couldn't help but admire how she looked.

Finally satisfied, Maria exited the room to see Ogawa patiently waiting for her. He gave her a look over and smiled, nodding in approval. "You look wonderful. Tsubasa-san would be knocked off her feet." He said with all sincerity. Maria couldn't help but giggle a little at the image that invoked.

"Thank you." Maria then said warmly. With that, Maria was escorted again to the elevators and the 26th floor was chosen this time. Maria then found herself in front of a set of heavy oak double was obviously a function room of some sort.

"This seems a little extravagant for a simple dinner…" Maria couldn't help but voice her thoughts outloud.

"What are you talking about, Maria-san?" Ogawa asked, amusement shining in his eyes. "Have you forgotten that there's a very special occasion today?"

"Special occasion?" Maria echoed, wondering what on earth Ogawa was talking about. However, Ogawa merely smiled and pushed the double doors open. Maria didn't even get to see what was inside when two blurs of pink and green tackled her. Maria could only let out a graceless 'oof' sound as she desperately tried to remain upright.

"Maria!" Two very familiar voices joyfully called out to her. When Maria got her bearings, she looked down only to see Kirika and Shirabe giving her identical wide smiles of delight.

"Kirika! Shirabe!" Maria's jaw dropped a little, shocked to see the two of them here. Both of them were wearing matching pink and green dresses. "W-why are you here?"

"Hey, hey, are you serious? I thought they were kidding when they said you were forgetful." Another familiar voice commented with a bit of exasperation and amusement. Maria whipped her head to the source of the voice, only to see Chris with her arms crossed. Beside her was a waving Hibiki and Miku. All three of them were also in dresses in their trademark colors.

"See, I told you Chris-senpai!" Kirika exclaimed in triumph before finally letting Maria go. "I told you she'd forget that today's her birthday!"

"Birthday?" Maria was stunned at that revelation and she finally remembered that today was her birthday. "Today's my birthday…"

"I have to admit, I found it hard to believe myself." A breathy voice laughed right beside Maria's ear. Maria spun to find Tsubasa smiling warmly at her. "I didn't peg you as a forgetful person."

"Tsubasa!" Maria exclaimed and embraced her, very glad to see her again. "You did this for me?" Maria asked, feeling a bit emotional as she pulled back a little.

"I had a bit of help." Tsubasa admitted, gesturing to their grinning friends. "Tachibana and Akatsuki suggested that you go on a relaxing day out to distract you. It worked like a charm."

"Yukine and Kohinata… Well, you'll find out later what they did to help." Tsubasa said cryptically.

"Tsukuyomi helped me pick out your dress." Tsubasa continued before looking up and down appreciatively at Maria. "It suits you. You look absolutely stunning." She complimented softly.

Maria smiled bashfully at the praise before she noticed that Tsubasa was wearing a light blue dress that matched Maria's. "So do you. You look beautiful." Maria said in open admiration. Tsubasa blushed and smiled, taking Maria's hand.

"Shall we? I know how you're looking forward to dinner." Tsubasa slightly tugged on Maria's hand to lead her into the room. A round of clapping greeted her as she entered the room, and she saw Genjuuro, Ogawa and Elfnein, even Tomosato and Fujitaka, and a few more people that usually worked at the bridge in the SONG headquarters.

Maria was almost deliriously happy, as it was clear that Tsubasa and her friends all arranged a rather fancy birthday party for her. The place was decorated with different kinds of white flowers, making it seem like they were in a garden. A large three tier cake was the centerpiece of the catering, and Maria couldn't help but notice that it resembled a wedding cake as it was white and covered in pearls and lilies.

"You know Maria-san, we tried to bake the cake ourselves but the oven caught fire." Hibiki told her cheerfully as she noticed Maria staring at the cake.

"What?" Maria looked at Hibiki, aghast.

"We're all fine though! No need to worry." Miku assured her immediately. "It was just a bad idea to mix Chris and baking." Miku lowered her voice, and Maria heard Chris sneeze somewhere to her left.

"Are you coming down with a cold senpai?" She heard Shirabe asked worriedly.

"Nah, probably just dust or something." Chris said dismissively and Maria couldn't help but shake her head, wondering what on earth Chris could've done to make the oven catch fire.

"You would not want to know." Tsubasa advised her somberly, catching the look on Maria's face.

Tsubasa then led her to a table, sitting her down and her other friends all surrounded her as they ate the scrumptious meals prepared for them, and she got to chat with the other SONG members who all wished her a happy birthday. There was also a pile of gifts that Shirabe and Kirika pointed out to her excitedly. Maria could not even remember the last time she received so many gifts and she was overwhelmed for a little while.

Maria couldn't remember either when was the last time she mingled with others so happily. She didn't realize how much she missed Kirika and Shirabe and all their other friends. Tsubasa was so sweet to have arranged this for her birthday and she looked at Tsubasa warmly, her heart feeling like it was about to burst from love. Tsubasa caught her stare and smiled tenderly at her before she rose to her feet. As if on cue, both Miku and Chris also stood up and went to the other side of the room where a grand piano stood.

Tsubasa then came to stand right in front of Maria, looking so beautiful that it momentarily took her breath away. She then bowed her head and offered her hand towards Maria.

"Will you honor me with a dance?" She asked, her indigo eyes trained lovingly on Maria alone. Maria was momentarily speechless as she stared at Tsubasa. She felt two hands nudge her on the back, making her remember that she hadn't answered yet. She placed her hand on Tsubasa's as her answer, and she was tugged to her feet and to the dance floor in the middle of the room. She glanced at the grand piano, seeing that Miku was sitting on the bench while Chris was standing beside her, a violin in her hands.

Maria's gaze was locked on Tsubasa's as her hand came to rest on Tsubasa's shoulder. Tsubasa's other hand rested on Maria's waist while their clasped hands were raised. The strains of the violin and piano started. Tsubasa effortlessly led Maria to a fast waltz in time with the music before she surprised Maria when she started singing. It was a song that Maria had not heard before, and she prided in herself in knowing all of Tsubasa's songs. Her heart melted as she realized that Tsubasa composed a song just for her.

The world faded away as Tsubasa sang powerfully and wonderfully. Tsubasa did not falter once, both her singing and dancing utterly perfect, her gaze adoring upon Maria. Maria kept in pace with her easily, as if they had done this hundreds of times, their bodies melding seamlessly like a puzzle. Maria was completely mesmerized as they twirled and spun at the dance floor. Maria could not help but marvel at how in sync they were, as even their breathing and heartbeats were one.

It was so wonderful and amazing and even fun, reminding Maria of whenever the two of them were on stage. However, this performance was theirs alone, and Tsubasa's hand on her waist moved up to her lower back, greedily pulling her closer as they continued. Maria couldn't resist leaning her head on Tsubasa's shoulder, tightening her grip on Tsubasa's hand. In response, Tsubasa's voice lowered, continuing to sing huskily in her ear. As she sung the last notes and her singing stopped, Tsubasa looked into Maria's eyes with all her love shining plainly in her indigo eyes. Maria felt tears prick her eyes and without any hesitation, kissed Tsubasa on the lips as the music died away.

Their kiss didn't last long as there were very enthusiastic and raucous cheers and applause that suddenly erupted, making Maria remember that they happened to be in a party surrounded by friends. They broke apart but did not step away from each other. They however both sported dark blushes and caught-in-the-act sheepish looks as they looked around their friends.

Kirika and Hibiki were at the forefront of the cheers, Shirabe looked like she was about to cry, Chris was as red as the dress she wore, looking like she was restraining herself from yelling at them, Miku was smiling at them encouragingly and everyone else was clapping.

Maria could only laugh in embarrassment but she did not regret it as she positioned her hand on Tsubasa's waist and tugged on their intertwined fingers.

"Maria?" Tsubasa questioned, her cheeks still glowing red.

"I want to dance more." Maria told her bluntly. "I want to lead this time." She grinned and Tsubasa laughed.

"As my lady wishes." Tsubasa murmured softly and the music started again, this time from the speakers as all their friends joined them on the dance floor. Maria's heart grew warm again as their friends surrounded them and she looked at Tsubasa adoringly.

"You really outdone yourself." Maria murmured as she pulled Tsubasa closer. "Thank you, for everything."

"That's because you deserve everything, and more." Tsubasa said sincerely and Maria felt her heart constrict at those words. She buried her face on Tsubasa's neck as tears fell down her cheeks.

"I love you." Maria said, overcome by emotions.

"I love you more than life itself." Was Tsubasa's utterly serious reply, and it was the most beautiful thing that Maria had ever heard.

* * *

"You know, this celebration was more like a wedding than a birthday party." Kanade commented, not at all hiding her amusement as she stretched.

"Tsubasa-san is quite a romantic. Kirika and Shirabe encouraging that made it worse, I think." Serena laughed, just as amused as her companion.

"It was probably all the romance novels Tsubasa likes to secretly read." Kanade said, snickering fondly as she looked down at the image of Tsubasa and Maria dancing once again.

"Tsubasa-san would have a hard time topping this one when she finally proposes."

"I actually thought she was going to propose for a moment. The birthday cake that they bought at the last minute was supposed to be for a wedding."

The two then looked at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter. When they finally calmed down, Serena stretched a hand towards the image of Maria. The image rippled, like it was made out of water as her hand touched it.

"Happy Birthday, Maria-neesan. You deserve all the happiness in the world." Serena said with a soft smile.

* * *

AN:

So I churned this out in a few hours(That's pretty fast by my standards since it usually takes me a few days to finish a chapter) cause I totally forgot to do something for Maria's birthday. Also, the dance scene was inspired by the dance scene in the Utena movie (Guess who rewatched the whole Utena series lately) and it reminded me that I always wanted to do a dance scene with Tsubamari. And yes, the song that Tsubasa was singing in my mind is 'Toki Ni Ai Wa' by Okui Masami, which happens to be the song playing in the Utena movie dance scene, but really, any romantic song you got in mind can work so that's why I didn't put the lyrics in.

Also random headcanon: Chris plays the violin cause her father is a violinist and she picked up violin lessons in Lydian.


End file.
